World War 2 Servicemen

Church Stretton Roll of Honour in St Laurence’s Church

Background

In 2025, the year marking the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War, the Church Stretton

Local History Group undertook to start researching the background and lives of those servicemen, and one civilian test pilot, whose names appear on the local war memorials.

The Church Stretton War Memorial on Longhills Road includes a total of 35 names from the Second World War. 31 of these are listed on the Roll of Honour in St Laurence’s Church. Four of the names are on the All Stretton War Memorial, located on Shrewsbury Road, and five of the names are listed on the Little Stretton Memorial, located in Little Stretton Church.

Of the 35 listed, 15 were from the Royal Air Force plus the civilian test pilot. This is a significant change from the First World War casualties, reflecting the change in the nature of warfare between the two wars.

Four casualties were from the Navy, one a Marine, with the remainder from the Army. Another change from the First World War was that only two casualties were from the local regiment, the King’s Shropshire Light Infantry. Also, one casualty was from the Canadian Air Force and one from South Africa, though sadly this latter individual is proving difficult to identify.

The first casualty occurred in May 1940 with the latest in January 1945. Ages of the men listed ranged from 18 to 44, though the majority were in their 20s.

The group will add information as research progresses over the year. Do get in touch if you would like to join us in researching.

Note: names in blue link to research files or other websites

Surname First name/Initials Rank Regiment Date of death

Adlard Henry Martin Gunner Royal Artillery 14 Mar 1944

Baldwin Frank Pilot Officer Royal Air Force 23 Jun 1941

Bebbington Richard John Sergeant Pilot Royal Air Force 3 Sep 1942

Benson Alwyn Thomas Charles Pilot Officer Royal Air Force 11 Jan 1944

Biggs D G Driver Royal Army Service Corps tbc

Brock Christopher De Saumarez Commander Royal Navy 29 Nov 1942

Calvert William Sapper Royal Engineers 29 Apr 1941

Carroll John Adrian Sergeant Royal Air Force 23 Dec 1940

Carroll James Maurice Sergeant Royal Air Force 17 Jun 1943

Clark John Hope First Lieutenant Royal Air Force 26 Jan 1943

Cross Michael Fraser Aircraftman Royal Air Force 21 May 1941

Davies Leonard Corporal Royal Marines 9 Oct 1943

Deaves Edmund James Sergeant Royal Air Force 23 Sep 1943

Dunn George Scott Gunner Royal Horse Artillery 4 Dec 1941

Evans Harold Thomas Private King’s Shropshire Light Infantry 10 Aug 1944

Edwards William Henry Private Royal Army Service Corps tbc

Fraser Cameron Surgeon Lieutenant Royal Naval Voluntary Reserve 19 Dec 1941

Gardener Leslie Robert Gunner Royal Artillery 5 Aug 1944

Gardner Daniel Henry Willoughby Lieutenant Royal Naval Reserve 2 Oct 1942

Glover J.A. Private South African Forces tbc

Gooch Anthony Horace Neave Flight Lieutenant Royal Air Force 18 Jul 1943

Hughes Cecil Corporal Reconnaissance Corps 30 Apr 1945

Hughes Ernest Company Sgt Major King’s Shropshire Light Infantry 6 Mar 1946

Jackson Thomas William Private Royal Army Ordnance Corps 17 Jun 1940

Knight Harold Pilot Officer Royal Air Force 30 Nov 1941

Lovekin Kenneth Emmanuel Driver Royal Army Service Corps 27 May 1940

Marsh Edwin George Able Seaman Royal Naval Voluntary Reserve 28 May 1940

McCartney David Robert Mr Spitfire Test Pilot 21 Jul 1941

Molyneux Norman Buckley Sergeant Royal Air Force 14 Oct 1944

Mottram Roy Flight Lieutenant Royal Air Force 31 Aug 1941

Peacock Ernest Roland Sergeant Royal Air Force 17 May 1941

Sankey Robert John Grainger Private Durham Light Infantry 11 Jul 1944

Saunders Ernest Sidney Sapper Royal Engineers 31 May 1940

Townsend Leslie Charles Private Durham Light Infantry Jun-Jul 1942

Turner Dougal Pilot Officer Royal Canadian Air Force 16 Jan 1945